Method for admitting a patron into a restricted location

ABSTRACT

The subject invention provides a method of admitting a patron into a restricted location of a gaming establishment. The patron is admitted through a gate connected to a computer system. A card is issued to the patron by the gaming establishment and stores a prior gaming history of the patron. An admission criterion is established setting requirements for entry into the restricted location. A holder of the card is identified as the patron to whom the card was issued. The card is read to obtain the prior gaming history of the patron. The prior gaming history of the patron is transmitted to the computer system, where the computer system compares the prior gaming history of the patron with the admission criterion. The gate is opened to admit the patron into the restricted location if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Application Ser. No. 60/659,721 filed Mar, 8, 2005, the advantages and disclosure of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The subject invention is generally related to a method of admitting a patron into a restricted location within a gaming establishment.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Gaming establishments, such as Casinos, have many locations within the gaming establishment in which entry is restricted. These restricted locations may include VIP lounges, concert arenas, performance stages, nightclubs, gaming rooms, parking garages, or some other similar locations within the gaming establishment. In order for the gaming establishments to maintain a quality clientele, it is important that the gaming establishments grant priority to their frequent patrons, and more specifically, to their frequent patrons who have a history of availing themselves of the gaming activities and events occurring within a particular restricted location. This helps ensure that these patrons who have a history of spending money at the gaming establishment continue to return.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,873,260 issued to Lancos et al. (the '260 patent), discloses a system and method for selectively allowing passage of a guest through a turnstile into a restricted location within a coverage area. The system of the '260 patent includes a turnstile strategically placed within a coverage area, such as at the an entrance into the restricted location. A central server is operatively connected to the turnstile and determines if the guest is qualified to pass through the turnstile, into the restricted location of the coverage area. The turnstile includes an Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader/writer, a message notification device, a network interface, and an entry mechanism. A RFID tag is associated with the guest and stores information therein related to the identification of the RFID tag, i.e., the RFID tag identifies the quest. The RFID reader/writer serves to read and write the information from and to the RFID tag worn by the guest. The central server stores information related to the guest. The message notification device notifies the guest of any received messages. The network interface communicates data to and from the central server, and the entry mechanism allows a gust to pass through the turnstile if the central server sends a signal indicating that the guest is qualified to enter the restricted location within the coverage area. The information stored in the computer system may include an age of the guest, any physical handicaps of the guest, membership of the guest in a pre-determined group, a identifier of the guest, a digital photograph of the guest, event attendance information, etc.

The method disclosed by the '260 patent includes reading the RFID tag of the guest. The network interface transmits the information read from the RFID tag to the central server. The central server accesses the information stored within the central server related to the guest and determines if the guest is qualified to enter the restricted location of the coverage area based on restrictions governing entry into the restricted location. If the central server determines that the guest is so qualified, the central server signals the turnstile to open the entry mechanism to admit the quest. While the method disclosed in the '260 patent operates adequately, it is not optimally suited for operation within a gaming establishment, such as a casino.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

The subject invention provides a system and a method for admitting a patron into a restricted location within a gaming establishment. The system comprises a gate for opening to admit the patron into the restricted location of the gaming establishment. A computer system is operatively connected to the gate and includes a program for establishing an admission criterion associated with admittance into the restricted location, and for opening the gate if the admission criterion is satisfied. A card includes a prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card. A card reader is operatively connected to the gate for reading the prior gaming history of the patron from the card. The card reader also transmits the prior gaming history of the patron to the computer system, where the computer system compares the prior gaming history of the patron with the admission criterion to determine if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion.

The method provided by the subject invention comprises the steps of: establishing an admission criterion associated with admittance into the restricted location; admitting the patron into the public area of the gaming establishment; identifying a holder of the card to authenticate the holder of the card as the patron; reading the card to obtain the prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card; transmitting the prior gaming history of the patron read from the card to the computer system; comparing the prior gaming history of the patron transmitted to the computer system with the admission criterion to determine if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion; and opening the gate to admit the patron into the restricted location within the gaming establishment based on the prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card, if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion.

The present invention is aimed at solving one or more of the problems identified above, and is particularly useful in a gaming environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system for admitting a patron into a restricted location;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a card storing a prior gaming history of the patron; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart representing the steps of a method for admitting the patron into the restricted location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a system for admitting a patron into a restricted location is generally shown at 20 in FIG. 1. Typically, the gaming establishment is a casino, however it should be understood that the gaming establishment may include any business organization conducting gaming activities. The restricted location within the gaming establishment may include such areas as a VIP lounge, and event area such as a stage or tournament area, a night club, a private parking area, or some other similar location in which the gaming establishment wishes to restrict access.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system 20 includes a gate 22 for controlling access into the restricted location. The gate 22 normally remains closed, preventing access into the restricted location until the gate 22 is signaled to open. Once the gate 22 is signaled, the gate 22 opens to admit the patron into the restricted location of the gaming establishment. Typically, the gate 22 includes a turnstile, but is should be understood that the gate 22 may include other mechanisms not specifically enumerated herein for restricting access.

A computer system 24 is operatively connected to the gate 22, and includes a program 26 operable on the computer system 24. The program 26 establishes an admission criterion, which is associated with admittance into the restricted location of the gaming establishment. The program 26 signals the gate 22 to open if the admission criterion is satisfied. Accordingly, the admission criterion establishes any requirements that must be met by the patron to gain admittance into the restricted location. A database 28 is operatively connected to the computer system 24, and stores personal information related to the patron. The personal information of the patron may include a name of the patron, a personal identification number associated with the patron, or an age of the patron. The personal identification number associated with the patron is assigned to the patron, and is used to identify the identity of the patron. It should be understood that other personal information related to the patron and not specifically enumerated herein may be stored in the database 28.

The admission criterion may include at least one of a point balance accrued from any previous gaming activities conducted at the gaming establishment, a type of game conducted within the restricted location of the gaming establishment, or a membership in a predetermined group. It should be understood that the admission criterion may include other requirements that are not specifically enumerated herein.

A card 30, which is issued to the patron by the gaming establishment, includes a prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card 30. The prior gaming history of the patron is stored in the card 30, typically by use of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device 32. However, any other similar memory device suitable for disposition on the card 30 may be utilized to store the prior gaming history of the patron on the card 30.

The prior gaming history of the patron may include at least one of a point balance attributed to the patron from previous gaming activities conducted at the gaming establishment, a type of game played by the patron at the gaming establishment, or a membership of the patron in a pre-determined group. The membership of the patron in a pre-determined group may include membership of the patron in a group that has been previously banned from entering the restricted location of the gaming establishment, such as a group of patrons previously caught cheating at a gaming activity conducted at the gaming establishment. It should be understood that the prior gaming history may include other information than that specifically enumerated herein.

A card reader 32 is operatively connected to the gate 22. The card reader 32 reads the prior gaming history of the patron stored in the card 30 and transmits the prior gaming history of the patron to the computer system 24, through the gate 22. The prior gaming history of the patron is transmitted to the computer system 24 to compare the prior gaming history of the patron with the admission criterion to determine if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion. The card reader 32 may include a RFID device reader/writer, if the card 30 includes a RFID device 34. However, it should be understood that the card reader 32 may include any suitable device necessary to read the specific type of memory device utilized to store the prior gaming history of the patron in the card 30.

A keypad 36 is also operatively connected to the gate 22. The patron enters the personal identification number associated with the patron to identify a holder of the card 30 as the patron. The keypad 36 sends the personal identification number to the computer system 24 through the gate 22, where the program 26 compares the personal identification number entered by the patron with the personal identification number stored in the computer system 24. A positive identification occurs when the personal identification number entered by the patron matches the personal identification number stored in the computer system 24. The positive identification allows the patron to enter the restricted location if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion. A negative identification occurs when the personal identification number entered by the patron does not match the personal identification number stored in the computer system 24. The negative identification prevents the patron from entering the restricted location even if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion. Accordingly, the holder of the card 30 must be identified as the patron by entering the proper personal identification number associated with the patron into the keypad 36, as well as have the prior gaming history stored on the card 30 satisfy the admission criterion, in order to gain admittance into the restricted location of the gaming establishment.

An output interface 38 is operatively connected to the gate 22, and displays a message to indicate a reason for denying the patron admittance into the restricted location of the gaming establishment. The message is displayed upon the prior gaming history of the patron failing to satisfy the admission criterion. The output interface 38 may include a monitor, or some other suitable device.

A network 40 operatively interconnects the computer system 24, the gate 22, the card reader 32, the keypad 36, the display, and the database 28 for transmitting data therebetween. The network 40 may include either a hard wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination of hard wired and wireless connections. Examples of networks 40 with a hard wired connection include, but are not limited to, a plain-old telephone service (POTS), fiber optic communications, Ethernet, and the Internet. Examples of networks 40 with wireless communications include, but are not limited to, personal communications system (PCS), Wi-Fi Networks 40, or Bluetooth.

The subject invention also includes a method of admitting a patron into a restricted location within a gaming establishment from a public area of the gaming establishment. The patron is admitted through the gate 22 connected to the computer system 24 by utilizing the card 30 storing the prior gaming history of the patron. For convenience and clarity, the method is described below with reference to enumerated steps, e.g., a first step, a second step, a third step, etc. It should be understood that the steps of the method may be performed in a different order than specifically enumerated herein. For example, the second step may be performed before the first step. Accordingly, the subject invention should not be limited to the exact order in which the steps of the method are labeled and discussed.

The method includes a first step 42 of establishing an admission criterion associated with admittance into the restricted location. As described above, the admission criterion may be at least one of the point balance accrued from any previous gaming activities conducted at the gaming establishment, the type of game conducted within the restricted location of the gaming establishment, or membership in the pre-determined group.

A second step 44 includes associating the personal information related to the patron with the card 30. The personal information related to the patron may include the name of the patron, or the personal identification number associated with the patron, and is typically stored in the RFID device 34, or some other suitably memory device disposed on the card 30.

A third step 46 includes storing the prior gaming history of the patron and the personal information related to the patron in the database 28 of the computer system 24. A fourth step 48 includes the gaming establishment issuing the card 30 to the patron. A fifth step 50 includes admitting the patron into the public area of the gaming establishment. The public area of the gaming establishment may include, for example, a lobby of the casino. It should be understood that the public area may include some other area within the gaming establishment permitting entry to a general public. A sixth step 52 includes connecting the gate 22 to the computer system 24 with the network 40.

A seventh step 54 includes identifying the holder of the card 30 to authenticate the holder of the card 30 as the patron. Typically, the patron is identified after admitting the holder of the card 30 into the public area of the gaming establishment. The keypad 36 is utilized to enter the personal identification number associated with the patron. The personal identification number entered by the patron is transmitted to the computer system 24 for verification with the personal identification number stored in the computer system 24.

An eighth step 56 includes reading the card 30 to obtain the prior gaming history of the patron and the personal information related to the patron, which is associated with the card 30. The card reader 32 is utilized to read the card 30. A ninth step 58 includes transmitting the prior gaming history of the patron and the personal information related to the patron read from the card 30 to the computer system 24. A tenth step 60 includes comparing the prior gaming history of the patron and the personal information related to the patron transmitted to the computer system 24 with the admission criterion to determine if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion. As described above, if the prior gaming history of the patron read from the card 30 satisfies the admission criterion, the patron is allowed to enter the restricted location. However, if the prior gaming history of the patron read from the card 30 does not satisfy the admission criterion, the patron will not be allowed to enter the restricted location of the gaming establishment.

An eleventh step 62 includes opening the gate 22 to admit the patron into the restricted location within the gaming establishment based on the prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card 30, if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion. Whereas a twelfth step 64 includes denying admittance to the patron based on the prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card 30, if the prior gaming history of the patron does not satisfy the admission criterion. If the patron is denied admittance into the restricted location, a message is displayed on the output interface 38 to indicate a reason for denying admittance to the patron.

A thirteenth step 66 includes updating the prior gaming history of the patron at the gaming establishment associated with the card 30 to reflect any changes made to the prior gaming history of the patron. Accordingly, the prior gaming history stored on the card 30 is kept current to reflect any participation in the gaming activities conducted at the gaming establishment by the patron, so that the most accurate information is utilized to determine admittance into the restricted location the next time the patron attempts to enter the restricted location within the gaming establishment.

The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards; thus, the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiments may become apparent to those skilled in the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims. 

1. A method of admitting a patron into a restricted location within a gaming establishment from a public area of the gaming establishment through a gate connected to a computer system utilizing a card storing a prior gaming history of the patron, said method comprising the steps of: establishing an admission criterion associated with admittance into the restricted location; admitting the patron into the public area of the gaming establishment; identifying a holder of the card to authenticate the holder of the card as the patron; reading the card to obtain the prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card; transmitting the prior gaming history of the patron read from the card to the computer system; comparing the prior gaming history of the patron transmitted to the computer system with the admission criterion to determine if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion; opening the gate to admit the patron into the restricted location within the gaming establishment based on the prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion.
 2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of associating personal information related to the patron with the card.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of associating personal information related to the patron with the card is further defined as associating at least one of a name of the patron and a personal identification number associated with the patron with the card.
 4. A method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the step of storing the personal information related to the patron in the computer system.
 5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein a keypad is operatively connected to the gate and further comprising the step of entering the personal identification number associated with the patron into the keypad.
 6. A method as set forth in claim 5 further comprising the step of transmitting the personal identification number entered into the keypad to the computer system to compare with the personal identification number stored in the computer system to identify the holder of the card as the patron.
 7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of identifying a holder of the card is further defined as identifying a holder of the card after admitting the holder of the card into the public area of the gaming establishment.
 8. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of denying admittance to the patron based on the prior gaming history of the patron associated with the card if the prior gaming history of the patron does not satisfy the admission criterion.
 9. A method as set forth in claim 8 further comprising the step of displaying a message to indicate a reason for denying admittance of the patron.
 10. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising the step of storing the prior gaming history of the patron in the computer system.
 11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein said step of reading the card to obtain the prior gaming history of the patron further includes the step of reading the card to obtain the personal information related to the patron.
 12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of transmitting the prior gaming history of the patron read from the card to the computer system further includes the step of transmitting the personal information related to the patron to the computer system.
 13. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of issuing the card to the patron.
 14. A method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising the step of updating the prior gaming history of the patron at the gaming establishment associated with the card.
 15. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein a card reader is operatively connected to the gate and the step of reading the card further includes the step of utilizing the card reader to read the card.
 16. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising the step of connecting the gate to the computer system with a network.
 17. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the prior gaming history of the patron includes a point balance attributed to the patron from previous gaming activities conducted by the patron at the gaming establishment and the step of establishing an admission criterion is further defined as establishing an admission criterion based on a point balance accrued from previous gaming activities conducted at the gaming establishment.
 18. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the prior gaming history of the patron includes a type of game played by the patron at the gaming establishment and the step of establishing an admission criterion is further defined as establishing an admission criterion based on a type of game conducted in the restricted location within the gaming establishment.
 19. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the prior gaming history of the patron includes the placement of the patron within a pre-determined group and the step of establishing an admission criterion is further defined as establishing an admission criterion based on membership in a pre-determined group.
 20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the step of establishing an admission criterion based on the placement of the patron within a pre-determined group is further defined as establishing an admission criterion based on the placement of the patron within a pre-determined group of patrons banned from the restricted location within the gaming establishment.
 21. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of opening the gate to admit the patron into the restricted location of the gaming establishment is further defined as opening the gate to admit the patron into a VIP lounge.
 22. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of opening the gate to admit the patron into the restricted location of the gaming establishment is further defined as opening the gate to admit the patron into an event area.
 23. A system for admitting a patron into a restricted location of a gaming establishment, said system comprising: a gate for opening to admit the patron into the restricted location of the gaming establishment; a computer system operatively connected to said gate and including a program for establishing an admission criterion associated with admittance into the restricted location and opening said gate if said admission criterion is satisfied; a card issued to the patron by the gaming establishment and including a prior gaming history of the patron associated therewith; a card reader operatively connected to said gate for reading said prior gaming history of the patron associated with said card and transmitting said prior gaming history of the patron to said computer system for comparing the prior gaming history of the patron with the admission criterion to determine if the prior gaming history of the patron satisfies the admission criterion.
 24. A system as set forth in claim 23 wherein said computer system includes a personal identification number associated with the patron and said system further comprises a keypad operatively connected to said gate for entering said personal identification number and sending the personal identification number to said computer system to identify a holder of the card as the patron.
 25. A system as set forth in claim 24 further comprising an output interface for displaying a message to indicate a reason for denying the patron admittance into the restricted location of the gaming establishment upon said prior gaming history of the patron failing to satisfy said admission criterion.
 26. A system as set forth in claim 25 further comprising a database operatively connected to said computer system for storing said prior gaming history of the patron and personal information related to the patron.
 27. A system as set forth in claim 26 further comprising a network interconnecting said computer system, said gate, said card reader, said keypad, said display, and said database for transmitting data therebetween.
 28. A system as set forth in claim 23 wherein said admission criterion includes at least one of a point balance accrued from previous gaming activities conducted at the gaming establishment, a type of game conducted within the restricted location of the gaming establishment, and a membership in a pre-determined group.
 29. A system as set forth in claim 23 wherein said prior gaming history of the patron includes at least one of a point balance attributed to the patron from previous gaming activities conducted at the gaming establishment, a type of game played by the patron at the gaming establishment, and a membership of the patron in a predetermined group. 